The pencils have been sharpened and the new notebooks are ready for big ideas. It’s back-to-school time!
Our children have already come home with some assignments . . . not only for themselves . . . but for my wife and me. If you’re a parent, you may know what I’m talking about.
Nowadays, one of the first things many schools ask parents to do during the first week of school is to sign several waivers and authorization forms. By having us acknowledge our responsibilities and obligations up front, schools hope to minimize conflicts and even protect against lawsuits.
These kinds of forms weren’t required when many of us went to school, but we’re in a different time now. One study reveals that roughly half of all teachers and administrators said they have been threatened with a lawsuit.
Let’s be fair, teaching is a pretty tough job these days, and this is a good time to remind ourselves that we’re all teachers, too. Our children watch us to see how we handle difficult situations, and we constantly need to use these opportunities to teach them the importance of respect and civility.
You can learn about our effort to bring more civility to the civil justice system by going to my website at BobDorigoJones.com.
Bob Dorigo Jones, who serves as Senior Fellow for the Foundation for Fair Civil Justice, is the author of the bestselling Remove Child Before Folding, The 101 Stupidest, Silliest and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever. He is the host of a new national radio/Internet commentary, “Let’s Be Fair.”